Video Prospecting Best Practices: From Script to Send

Why Video Prospecting Works

Video prospecting combines the personal touch of a face-to-face interaction with the convenience of email. When a prospect sees your face, hears your voice, and watches you address their specific challenges, it creates a connection that text simply can't match.

Research consistently shows that video emails receive 3x higher reply rates than text-only outreach. The visual element captures attention in crowded inboxes, and the personal nature of video builds trust faster than any written message.

Writing Scripts That Convert

The best video prospecting scripts follow a simple structure: hook, context, value, and ask. Open with something specific to the prospect — a recent company achievement, a shared connection, or a relevant industry trend. This proves you've done your homework.

Keep your script under 60 seconds. Attention spans are short, and the goal isn't to deliver a full pitch — it's to earn a reply. State one clear value proposition and end with a low-friction ask, like "Would it make sense to chat for 15 minutes this week?"

Avoid reading from a script. Bullet points work better because they keep your delivery natural and conversational. The slight imperfections of natural speech actually build more trust than a polished teleprompter read.

Personalization That Scales

True personalization goes beyond inserting a prospect's name. Reference their company's recent product launch, comment on a challenge common to their industry, or mention a competitor's move that might affect their business.

AI tools can now automate deep personalization at scale. By pulling data from enrichment sources and generating custom scripts, you can create hundreds of uniquely personalized videos without spending hours on research for each one.

Technical Setup for Success

Lighting matters more than camera quality. Position yourself facing a window or use a simple ring light. A clean, professional background — whether real or virtual — keeps the focus on your message.

For audio, a simple USB microphone or quality earbuds outperform built-in laptop mics. Clear audio is crucial because fuzzy sound makes people stop watching within seconds.

Keep your video thumbnail compelling — smile, use a whiteboard with the prospect's name, or hold up a relevant prop. The thumbnail is what convinces people to hit play.

Measuring and Optimizing Results

Track these key metrics: video play rate (what percentage of recipients click play), watch-through rate (how much of the video they watch), and reply rate. A good benchmark is a 50%+ play rate and a 30%+ watch-through rate.

A/B test different elements: script length, opening hooks, subject lines, and thumbnail styles. Small changes can have an outsized impact on engagement. Continuously iterate based on data, not gut feel.